IBADAN, NIGERIA – June 20, 2025: Two middle-aged women, Mariam Olajimoke, 52, and Esther Oladipupo, 54, were on Thursday arraigned before an Iyaganku Magistrates’ Court in Ibadan for allegedly engaging in a public fight that disrupted peace and order.
The women, whose residential addresses were not disclosed in court, are facing a two-count charge of affray and conduct likely to cause a breach of peace. They both pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read to them in the courtroom.
According to the prosecution, the incident occurred on September 30, 2024, at an undisclosed location in Ibadan. Prosecuting Inspector Kemi Oladapo told the court that the two women engaged in a physical confrontation in a public place, drawing attention from passersby and causing commotion.
“The defendants fought in a public area, thereby constituting a nuisance and disturbing public peace,” said Inspector Oladapo. “Their conduct was capable of inciting further violence and endangering the safety of others in the vicinity.”
She added that the offences contravened Sections 83 and 249(d) of the Criminal Laws of Oyo State, 2000, which prohibit public disturbances and behavior likely to incite disorder.
Section 83 of the Criminal Laws of Oyo State defines affray as the act of two or more persons fighting in a public place in a manner that causes alarm to others. Section 249(d) deals with general acts that are considered likely to cause a breach of the peace, whether or not actual violence occurs.
Presiding Magistrate Oluwabusayo Osho granted bail to the two defendants in the sum of N100,000 each, with two sureties in like sum. The sureties, according to the court, must be individuals with verifiable addresses and gainfully employed.
Magistrate Osho warned both defendants to refrain from any further acts of violence or misconduct while on bail, emphasizing the need for residents to seek lawful and peaceful means of resolving disputes.
“This court will not tolerate conduct that threatens the peace and safety of the public,” she said, urging the women to conduct themselves properly pending the determination of the case.
The court subsequently adjourned the matter to August 7, 2025, for the commencement of hearing.
Though the exact cause of the altercation was not revealed during the brief court session, sources familiar with the incident suggested that a longstanding personal dispute may have triggered the confrontation.
Public fights and acts of disorderly conduct remain a concern in densely populated areas like Ibadan, where law enforcement officials have urged residents to resort to dialogue and mediation rather than violence.
The case is expected to resume with witness testimonies and further submissions from both the prosecution and the defence when the hearing continues in August.
